24. Lizzie
24
LIZZIE
As much as I’m kind of focusing on hating him right now, I can still appreciate Cameron’s hotness as I steal glances at him from across the bar. While he was greeting everyone after he first arrived, I took him in as subtly as I could, which I’m sure was beyond obvious to anyone watching. He’s wearing black jeans and a dark gray T-shirt—totally casual, yet he looks like he can be on the cover of GQ. His dark hair is styled to look perfectly messy, his locks tousled just right.
I’m suddenly hit with an onslaught of images from last night’s stargazing escapade and running my hands through his hair while he wreaked the best kind of havoc on my body.
“So, what’s really going on between you and my brother?” Morgan asks, snapping me out of my dirty daydreams.
“Nothing’s going on.” As much as I’d love to tell Morgan, I don’t want to put her in the middle of this.
“Are you sure about that? Because I’m worried that the sexual tension is going to become too much and you’re both just gonna rip your clothes off and go at it here in front of everyone.” The grimace on her face expresses just how much the idea of watching that disgusts her.
“He’s just a little indecisive on what he wants, that’s all.”
“Well, that’s easy to fix,” she says with a shrug.
“That’s exactly what I said,” Lia shouts, beyond excited.
The two of them link their arms while they look around the room before their gaze settles on the same guy grabbing a beer at the bar. Poor Austin Lance appears to be tonight’s pawn. I actually feel bad that I might end up leading him on. He’s super nice but kind of shy. Always respectful without a mean bone in his body. The male version of Ellie, if you will.
He’s got light brown hair and a lean body. A little skinnier than I prefer but still easy on the eyes. If I remember correctly, he was a few years behind Cameron and was super into band. I think he’s an accountant at the bank.
Before I can tell them to stop it, Lia and Morgan are waving him over, and I’m forced to put on a smiling face. I’m going to get them both for this.
“Hey, Morgan,” he says with one of those weird, closed-mouth smiles people do when they’re nervous. “Hi, I’m Austin.” He reaches his hand out to Lia, which she shakes enthusiastically, and then turns to me. “Hey, Lizzie.” Since I never left for college, I’m a town staple and everyone knows me.
“Hey Austin. How are you?” I smile.
“Good, good. Still working at the bank. How’s your pottery going?”
“Good,” I reply.
The silence stretches between the four of us and the awkwardness is brutal. There is no way Cameron is going to be pushed into Alpha Cameron mode with this sad excuse for flirting.
We stare at each other for a few more seconds, and then I see his eyes flash to something over my shoulder at the same time I catch Lia and Morgan grinning.
I don’t even have to turn around. It’s like I can feel him coming, and damn it, I’m hot all over and trying to tell my body we don’t like him right now.
“Welcome home, Cam. Thanks again for inviting me,” Austin says as he reaches out and shakes Cameron’s hand, and I move so I’m standing closer to Austin for this interaction. I glance at Morgan and Lia and notice that they’re slowly moving away from us but are giving me huge thumbs up.
Can I still get them for this if their plan actually works?
“Of course. I really appreciate all your help getting things squared away with the farm after my dad passed. You were a huge help.” Cameron quickly moves his gaze to me, and I pretend not to notice the jealous look in his eyes and the steel set to his jaw like he’s grinding his teeth in an attempt to keep his cool.
“I’m sorry. Did I interrupt anything?” Cameron asks oh-so-innocently.
“Austin and I were just talking,” I reply.
“Is that right? How do you guys know each other?” This time Cameron levels us both with a hard stare while he crosses his muscular arms over his very muscular chest.
“Um…well, Lizzie and I cross paths a lot around town, you could say,” Austin spits out nervously.
“With Brantley Falls being a small town and all, people tend to know each other, Cam.” I see his jaw tense when I call him Cam , and I know I was right before. Sometimes being bad is better.
“Can I speak to you in private, Lizzie?” Cameron’s voice is cold and growly, and it’s like he won’t be taking no for an answer. I’m not going to lie—this version of Cameron is really doing it for me.
“Sure,” I say, trying to feign nonchalance. “It was nice catching up, Austin. See you around!” I give him a small wave before I turn to leave, and he doesn’t seem upset at all when he turns to greet someone else.
I feel Cameron’s hand on my lower back as I lead the way outside. With the noise muffled now, the vibe seems to shift between us, and it feels…intense.
“What the fuck was that, Lizzie?”
“What do you mean? I was talking to someone. Is that suddenly not allowed for people in a friends-with-benefits situation? Although…can we even call it that if you had to think so hard on whether or not you should invite me tonight? Friends might be a stretch.”
“You’re allowed to talk to people. But based on the look Austin was giving you, he wanted to do a lot more than talk.”
“Are you crazy? We barely said two words to each other before you stomped over like you wanted to mark your territory or something.” And I liked it. But I’m keeping that to myself for now.
“You’re mine. I thought last night made that pretty clear.” He whispers the last part even though we are completely alone outside.
I can’t help the blush that I feel appearing on my cheeks at Cameron’s mention of last night. His little stunt earlier with the good girl comment was bad enough, but this…
“I thought so too. Until the girls told me the truth. I mean, what the fuck? We are friends, aren’t we?” I try not to let the hurt bleed into my voice.
“Of course we are. It wasn’t about that.”
“Then what was it about? Because I’m getting tired of the hot and cold version of you. You either want me or you don’t, but make up your mind. I already agreed to your terms, but you’re either in or out. There’s no third option.”
“I just…I don’t know if I’m okay with that anymore,” he says, pain lancing his words.
“What?” I ask, afraid of his answer.
“It feels like that won’t be enough with you, but I’m scared to make it more. I have to do what’s best for Addy and Mackenzie. They’re falling hard for you, and if we go there and it falls through…I can’t be the reason you’re not around for them anymore. I’m trying not to be selfish here.” His tone is hard, and I can see he’s clearly frustrated.
He’s frustrated? Well, so am I.
“Do you think I’d do anything to hurt those little girls? Like, if things fell apart between us, I would suddenly disappear and act like they don’t exist?” I tell him, because he clearly doesn’t know me at all. At his lack of answer, I breathe in and add, “I’m grabbing Lia and I’m going home, Cam. Maybe the next time we talk, you’ll have made your mind up once and for all.”
“Stop with the fucking Cam shit, Lizzie. I know what you’re doing.”
“I have no idea what you’re talking about. Have a good night.”
And with that, I walk back inside to find my best friend and get the fuck out of here.